Taboo Love
by NinjaSheik
Summary: Hiding her feelings for her beloved sensei, a young Anko goes to tell Orochimaru how she feels. But, will she end up regretting her confession of love, and suffer the pain of heartbreak for her taboo love?


**A/N: **This is my very first Orochimaru and Anko story. I started to write it in the beginning of my new school year to keep myself from getting bored and keep my sanity in check during my classes.

**Disclaimer: **Before we move on with the story, it is _extremely _important everyone reads this disclaimer. Normally, I wouldn't waste my time placing this in my stories, since I know I don't own anything from _Naruto_ or any other shows, but I love this site, so I'm going to take any safety measures just this once. I'll be using some ideas of the anime show, _My-Otome_. So, I do not own anything from _Naruto_ or _My-Otome_. They belong to their rightful creators and all credit should go to them, and not me. Now on with the story!

ஜ ~ ஜ

A young violet-haired child dashed through the corridors of the apartment building excitedly, the strange pendent that hang around her neck swayed from left to right across her chest in synch with her speedy movements.

Her brown pupil-less eyes shone with eagerness, the dark shirt and tan shorts she wore was covered in dirt from her training. A bright, wide smile was planted on her youthful face, which drew even bigger as she turned one corner to stopped at a certain door. She gripped the doorknob and entered the apartment without knocking first, rushing down in the hallway that led to her beloved mentor's bedroom and barged in excitedly.

"Lord Orochimaru!" Anko addressed the man sitting in the desk at the end of the small room. The man turned around in his seat, looking away from the scroll he was reading, to smile slightly at his student.

Anko's cheeks immediately reddened, as if they caught alight. She could hear her heart hammering against her chest rapidly as she smiled at her sensei. The man that sat in front of her was everything she wished to be. He was her dream.

"What is it, Anko?" the Snake Sannin inquired. Living in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, everyone knew the name "Orochimaru", since he was one of the three Legendary Sannin of the Leaf. "What did I say about disturbing me?"

Orochimaru was an extremely pale-skinned man with long, silky black hair that reached to his mid-back. Strange, purple markings were on the sides of his nose, and his golden irises held a seductive and frightening power to them; it was the power that could enslave someone with a single gaze.

Anko blushed embarrassingly at his words, bowing her head in a sincere apology. "I'm sorry, Lord Orochimaru."

The young kunoichi lifted her head back up, shifting her body uncomfortably. She stared up at her sensei, the person she idolized more than anyone else in the world. However… Her feelings go beyond the feelings of a student to a teacher. For the truth to be told, she was in love with him. In her eyes, Orochimaru was everything to her.

"I did it!" Anko exclaimed happily, moving closer to her sensei. She felt her breath being caught in her lungs since she stood so close to the Sannin; it made it difficult for her to breathe properly. "I'd completed the jutsu you wanted me to learn!"

Orochimaru nodded in approval, standing up from his seat. "Show me."

"Okay!" She beamed, taking his right hand to lead him out of the room. His palm was ice-cold, and she tightened her grip to warm them up. The young kunoichi dragged her mentor to the Third Training Grounds, enthusiastic to impress him.

After she had performed the jutsu in front him, she was then rewarded with a pleased smile and a pat on the head. Anko felt her cheeks heating up as his hand lingered on the left side of her face. He stroked her cheek affectionately, and he knelt down to her height to study that adorable, scarlet-red face of hers.

She loved it when he did that. Anko loved him. She knew it was wrong to feel that way towards her teacher, but she didn't care. Orochimaru was everything to her after Anko lost her parents. The overwhelming desire took a tight hold on her after that incident, wanting to stay by his side and love him forever. She didn't want to lose him like she did with her parents. Ever.

The master took his pupil back to the busy and crowded streets of the Leaf Village, with Anko clinging to his left arm. He found her cute when she did that, but he didn't express that feeling openly.

Anko walked silently with the Sannin, a small frown surfacing on her face. She glanced upwards to look at her mentor, noticing his unreadable expression. She sighed, closing her eyes in disappointment that she couldn't read the emotion going on inside him. She yearned to know whether or not he felt the same way about her like she did with him, no matter how ridiculous that possibility must have sounded like logically.

She was a fool, and she knew it. No matter Anko did, she could never hope to attract a romantic partner, let alone someone like Orochimaru. She was only a girl of ten years old; much too young to worried about these kinds of things.

_Who would ever marry me? _Anko never cared about her appearance, but she when she would look in a mirror sometimes, she would stare at her body in disgust. In her own eyes, Anko knew she wasn't beautiful. She had no features of a grown woman, only the slim body of a young girl. _It's too soon for me. Either way, Lord Orochimaru would never fall for me._

"Hey there, old friend!" called out a jovial voice. Anko opened her eyes as she and Orochimaru halted in their tracks to see a white-haired man approaching them with a small wave. It was Jiraiya, one of the Sannin and old teammate/childhood friend of Orochimaru.

"Jiraiya." the Snake Sannin greeted his old teammate in a stoic tone. "What do you want?"

"Hey now, don't be like that. I only came to say 'hello' to a friend." the Mountain Sage replied good-heartedly, gazing down at the little girl clinging to Orochimaru's arm. He smiled in recognition, kneeling down to her tiny height. "Well, well, if isn't the little lady. Hello, Anko."

The violet-haired girl nodded shyly in greeting. It wasn't the first time she met Master Jiraiya, but he made her a little nervous since she didn't know him so well. "Hello."

"Did you get bigger since I last saw you?" The old hermit hovered a hand to her forehead, teasing the little girl.

Anko giggled slightly. "A little. It's nice to see you again, Master Jiraiya."

"What do you want?" Orochimaru repeated his question, his patience wearing down.

"Ah, well…" The white-haired man straightened back to his normal height. "Sarutobi-sensei is calling a meeting. He asked me to get you."

"Fine." the pale-skinned man scoffed lightly, transferring his amber optics down to his student. "Anko, go home."

"Okay…" She nodded dejectedly, sauntering back to her apartment that she was paying with the money she got from her missions. The two Sannin watched her go until she was out of sight.

"You could've said it nicer to her." Jiraiya pointed out as they started to head for the Hokage Tower. Orochimaru snorted in response, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Slapping a friendly hand on his shoulder, the Toad Sannin decided to change the subject. "You know, that student of yours is quite the little cutie, don't you thi—OW!"

Orochimaru glared at him, pinching the old hermit's hand to get it off him. "Stay away from my apprentice, you idiot."

"Aw, do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Jiraiya teased his friend, only to receive another glare in return.

"Don't get any ideas." The Snake Sannin quickened his pace to the Hokage Tower, ignoring the white-haired man's shouts to slow down. Talking to Jiraiya was ridiculous and tiring for him.

ஜ ~ ஜ

Entering her apartment, Anko flopped down on her bed and let out a long sigh, her chest feeling strangely heavy. It was always like that when she wasn't able to spend more time alone with her teacher, and she didn't like that weighing sensation inside her when it happened.

"Lord Orochimaru…" she murmured into her pillow.

"Knock, knock!" came a singsong voice as a dark-haired, crimson-eyed girl walked in the room after banging softly on the door. It was Kurenai Yūhi, the violet-haired kunoichi's best friend who was welcomed to her home at anytime, and therefore had a key to come in Anko's apartment.

"Kurenai? What are you doing here?" Anko asked her best friend, raising her head up from the pillow.

"C'mon, lazy bum, let's go get some sweets." Kurenai suggested cheerfully, but then she noticed Anko's depressed expression plastered on her face. "Hey, you okay? You look out of it today."

"My chest feels heavy again, Kurenai." the Snake Sannin's student sighed tiredly, her eyelids shutting half-closed. "I don't know what's wrong with me sometimes."

"Is it your sensei?" Is he training you too hard?" The dark-haired kunoichi sat down on the bed, leaning in close to her friend's face to examine her. Kurenai was a kind, sister-like figure to Anko, always worrying about her. Despite being so close, Anko never told her about her feelings for Orochimaru, afraid of what might happen if she did and would think of her if she knew about her infatuation for her sensei.

The violet-haired kunoichi shook her head. "No, it's not that."

"Then you must be in love!" Kurenai declared suddenly, pointing a finger towards a flustered Anko.

"Wha—What! No, it's not like that!" she tried to deny, waving her hands frantically in the air.

"You're lying!" the crimson-eyed girl sang teasingly, placing a proud fist on her chest. "A girl just knows these kinds of thing, Anko. You can't hide it from me, I know you better than that. I've seen these signs before. Like the sighing, the droopy eyes, and the heavy feeling inside your chest."

Anko blushed as if fire has risen to her cheeks. Taking note of that, Kurenai smiled broadly, and let out a girly shriek from her mouth.

"I can't believe you like someone!" She grabbed her friend's shoulders and shook her in excitement. Kurenai knew that the snake kunoichi was too much of a tomboy to pay any attention into finding a love interest, claiming it was a waste of time. Hearing that Anko had a crush on someone was huge step for her into becoming more of a girl. "Who is it? How long have you liked this guy?"

"It…was after I shortly after I graduated the Academy." Anko replied subtly. It wasn't really lying, but she wasn't about to tell Kurenai whom she liked since she was too embarrassed to tell anyone.

"You liked this guy for six months?" Kurenai gasped slightly, remembering the day when her friend graduated from the Ninja Academy. "Have you told him how you feel?"

"No…" the snake kunoichi answered meekly with a shake of her head.

"I think you should tell him how you feel!" the dark-haired girl grinned encouragingly, clasping her hands on Anko's. "My mom always used to say to me that ifyou don't give something a shot, you'll end up regretting it for the rest of your life. C'mon, Anko, you gotta tell this guy!"

The purple-haired kunoichi immediately shook her head wildly in protest. "What? No!"

"Why not?"

"Because he will never like me like _that_!"

"You'll never know if you don't try." Kurenai retorted sternly, her eyes turning serious.

"Kurenai, you… You don't understand." Anko hang her head down hopelessly. Confess to her sensei, to Orochimaru? That was insanity, maybe even more than that. She'll be lucky to even say those words without getting her head chopped off. It was exaggeration, but the thought was actually doing it made Anko want to die.

Orochimaru wasn't actually a mean teacher, but he was strict nonetheless. When a training session was completed, the best she could ever get from him was a _'Good job' _or a _'Well done'_. She wanted to impress her sensei whenever she got the chance because she admired him and wanted him to feel proud of her. Somewhere in the middle of times she spent with Orochimaru was when her admiration for him transformed into love.

She was lucky to his student, a pupil to one of the Legendary Sannin. Actually, she was currently his only student. She relished in his attention and his praises. She wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. More importantly, she wanted his love—a love that was towards a woman, not as his student.

There were times when she was afraid of him, but she couldn't shake off the attraction she felt to her sensei. What scared Anko the most was the thought of what would happen between them if she were to confess her feelings. She didn't want to ruin the only connection she had with Orochimaru by telling her how she felt about him. There was absolutely no way she could tell him how she felt. And yet, Kurenai's words rang inside her head like bells echoing inside a cathedral.

"All right…." Anko mumbled in defeat, nodding her head timidly.

"Great!" Kurenai beamed, and then shoved her friend out the door. "And don't come back until you tell this guy, all right? I'll stay here until you do. Good luck. And be careful, I heard perverts are lurking around the Leaf Village lately, especially at night."

"Right…" Anko pivoted her heel and raced to her sensei's apartment. An odd sensation welled up inside her with every step the young girl took to be closer to her sensei. It was a mixture of excitement, anxiety, and fear. She was really going to tell him, even if it meant that her heart would break.

_The more afraid you are, the more you have to keep going forward…_ Anko thought, racing swiftly in the streets. _Lord Orochimaru may be a jerk at times and I'm scared to find the answer to his feelings towards me, but I have to know if he really feels the same way I do…_

ஜ ~ ஜ

"Wait one moment, Orochimaru." Hiruzen stopped his snakelike student from leaving the Meeting Room with the other Jōnin. "The Leaf Council would like to have a word with you."

"What does the Leaf Elders want with me this time?" The Snake Sannin swiveled around to face his old sensei and the two advisors, Homura and Koharu. "Make it quick. I have a apprentice to train."

"Which is exactly what he wanted to discuss with you, Orochimaru. This is about Anko Mitarashi. We need your consent in order to transfer her into a squad." Homura explained.

Orochimaru's golden optics widened for a split second before narrowed dangerously at the Leaf Council. "What?"

"Anko Mitarashi is currently your only student and as one of the Sannin, we need you to carry out higher rank missions and duties. Without the child." Koharu continued, handing a slip of paper to the Sannin. "It has come to our attention that Anko Mitarashi is an orphan and have no social skills. It would be best for the child to be transfer to a regular squad in order to learn teamwork, rather than have her train under you."

The Snake Sannin glared disapprovingly at the Third Hokage. "You agreed to this?"

"Of course not," Lord Hokage answered, smiling slightly. "I think you're doing quite well with Anko."

"However, we think it is in the girl's best interest if she were to enter into a regular squad, interacting with children her own age. You are technically her guardian, since the child has no living relatives. In order for her to transfer, you need to sign that form to give up Anko Mitarashi." Homura finished at last. "It's for the best."

"Then I hope you enjoy disappointment." Orochimaru crumbled the paper in his hand; his expression was hard as stone. "I refuse."

"Orochimaru, be reasonable." Koharu insisted with a frown. "You are one of the Leaf Village's top shinobi. We need—"

"I'm done here," the pale-skinned man stated bluntly, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

He exited the room, ignoring the shouts from the Leaf Elders to come back. He scoffed at them for even considering that he would give up Anko. She was the best he'd ever gotten for a pupil. And besides, they both became quite attached to each other.

It was already nightfall by the time he arrived at his apartment building, and he was rather surprised when he found his dear apprentice sleeping on the steps of the staircase. She looked simply lovely when she sleeps, her violet hair being sprayed over her face and her chest rising up and down rhythmically.

"Lo…rd… Oro…chimaru…" she muttered in her sleep just as the Sannin knelt down by the steps, brushing a few violet tresses away from Anko's fair neck. Orochimaru gazed down the exposed throat intently, licking his lips at the sight.

_Do it, _a cold entity from the back of his mind commanded him to do it. The Snake Sannin lowered his lips to Anko's neck, brushing them slightly over her alabaster skin. The young kunoichi stirred a bit at the contact, but it wasn't enough for her to wake up. _Bear her the Curse Mark._

"Hmph… You're laying in harm's way." he smirked to himself, drawing away from the child's neck. He lifted her up in his arms and climbed up the stairs to his room. He kicked the door open, and then laid the girl gently down on his bed. The Sannin pulled the covers over her slim body and stared down at her sleeping form, the intent expression remaining on his face. "One day, my dear Anko, you will posses the powers—"

"Lord…" the violet-haired girl cut him off quietly, stirring in her sleep again. "I…"

Orochimaru smiled, almost knowingly. He couldn't make out the words that the sleeping girl was muttering, but he found the fact that Anko was dreaming of him amusing. The girl was quite the interesting prospect. She was more experienced the most of the Genin at her age, able to perform several jutsu that most Chūnin could only do.

Orochimaru's optics darted to her neck, trailing a finger across her throat. He couldn't bear her the Curse Mark, not just yet. It was too soon for her, and she has much to learn before he could brand her with his curse. Although, he couldn't shake off the feeling that wasn't the only reason he stopped himself from placing the Curse Mark on her.

Anko was young, naïve, and much too trusting child. It would be so easy to brand her; it'd be child's play. The Snake Sannin has her trust and admiration for him, and yet…he wasn't able to do it. The only thing he could conclude was now wasn't the right time to give her the Curse Mark.

"What a good girl…" he purred in her ear, his voice being layered with a seductive tone. "You shall possess my powers one day. Until then, sleep well, my dear."

The Sannin ruffled her hair lightly as he kissed her forehead, and then strolled towards the bathroom for a shower. It only took a few minutes after he left for Anko's eyelids to open slowly, her eyes meeting the comforting darkness.

It took her only a few moments to realize where she was, and she jolted up in the bed quickly. She didn't remember falling asleep here. Anko scan her surroundings, clarifying that she was in indeed her sensei's room, her optics stopping on a picture that was resting by the bed.

The picture showed a younger Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiraiya, Tsunade, the last of the Legendary Three Sannin, and a young Orochimaru. All of them were smiling, except for Orochimaru, who wore a firm line on his lips. Anko always caught a brief glimpse of the picture sometimes when she came in her sensei's room, but she never seen it up close before.

_I'm really in Lord Orochimaru's room. _She picked up the picture and gazed deeply at the image of her younger sensei. A blush rose to her cheeks, her grip tightening around the frame slightly. _He's so…cute._

The door to the bathroom opened, catching the snake kunoichi off guard. She jumped in panic as a shirtless, wet-haired Orochimaru stepped out. He was wearing black pants on and a damp towel around his neck. Anko's face reddened profoundly at the sight of her half-naked sensei.

"You're awake, Anko." Orochimaru smiled amusingly at her discomfiture.

"U-Uh, yes…" She averted her irises elsewhere to avoid looking at his smooth, masculine chest with rivulets of water sluicing down his body. This was certainly an unexpected—and embarrassing—turned of events. That thought woke Anko up a little, remembering why she came here in the first place. Exhaling a deep sigh, she cleared her throat and spoke nervously. "Lord Orochimaru…I have something to tell you."

The Sannin cocked his head to one side, smirking as he drew closer to her. "What is it?"

"I…I-I wanted…" Anko stammered, twiddling with her fingers. Her chest became painfully tight as she felt all of her confidence draining out of her. "I want to t-tell you that I…"

_Run,_ the conscious part of her mind told her. Without hesitating, Anko blushed furiously and sprinted out the door in a blink of an eye. She kept on running, ignoring the shouts she heard from her sensei telling her to come back.

In the end, she only came here in vain. She wasn't unable to say it, after all. She doubted she would ever have the courage to actually say those three precious words out loud to begin with, but was so stupid to come to see Orochimaru in the first place. Anko bit down on her lips, trying to muffle her cries as tears started to stream down her face.

_I'm so stupid! Why? Why did I fall for him? _Anko dashed through the empty streets, tumbling over a few stones here and there on the road. She panted heavily, coming to halt in an alleyway to catch her breath. She slumped against the wall, all her strength vanishing inside of her.

The night cast a cool breeze in the Leaf Village, sending chills down Anko's spine. Everyone was likely asleep by now; all of the lights were turned off inside all of the households and shops.

Anko never felt more humiliated in her entire life. How could she ever face her sensei again? She wanted cry out so badly, but bit down her bottom lip to restrain herself, in order to not draw unwanted attention from any of the residents around the neighborhood.

"What a adorable little girl." a slurry voice called out to her. Anko shot her optics in the direction where the voice came, quickly wiping away the tears from her face. Three figures trotted towards her with some difficulty, an awful smell leaking from their mouths, like the scent of alcohol.

A boy with sandy blonde around the age of fifteen stumbled towards Anko with a bottle filled with beer in hand. These men were drunk, and that fact truly frightened the violet-haired kunoichi. She knew what happens to men when they become drunk, and what they do with young girls if they find them.

"You're quite the cutie." The leader—Anko theorized—looped an unwelcome arm around the snake kunoichi's shoulders, pulling her closer to the point that she wanted to vomit from the smell of his disgusting breath. It was worse than smelling a sewer or a rotten eggs. "Hey, how old are you?"

"T-Ten…" Anko's blood ran cold when she felt her back hit the wall and the drunken boy pinned her between him and the wall. She gasped when a wicked smile played across the man lips, his hand making its way to her shirt. "Wha—What are you doing?"

The answer didn't have to spoken out loud for her to know. Anko ducked under the man's arms in an attempt to run from him and his cronies, but a hand grabbed the back of her shirt and threw her against the wall roughly. The leader held both of Anko's hands over her head, holding it with one hand while the other reached out to her shirt once more.

"Let's have some fun." An evil smirk spread over the man's features, his hand tugging the purple-haired girl's shirt slightly. Anko was crying now, her mouth closed shut to keep her whimpers under control. Orochimaru always thought her to never show her weakness, even in the most dangerous situations.

A kunai buzzed between the man and Anko's face, catching everyone by surprised. The knife fell down to the ground, very close from the leader's two friends. Orochimaru frowned harshly at the sight, a kunai sliding into his right hand out of the sleeve from purple kimono shirt he was wearing.

His golden irises held an intense, terrifying look in them. It sent a chilling shudder down everyone's spines, except for Anko would look at her sensei desperately.

"Sen…sei…" she whispered, the remaining bits of her dignity fading out all too quickly. He was the one person she didn't want to see her like this, a strange sensation of fear and relief washing inside her belly. "Lord Orochimaru…"

The Snake Sannin glared threateningly at the three men, holding up the kunai in his pale palm. He was ready to impale them for they were going to do to _his_ Anko. "The next one will hit you."

"Crap, let's get outta here!" The three men scurried away like rats rushing back into their holes. Anko, wide-eyed and trembling, stared down at the floor with her hands to her chest. Gentle hands gripped onto her shoulders, shaking gently to snap her out of her daze.

"Anko, talk to me. Are you all right?" Orochimaru saw the scared expression on her face as he held the scared child. A small cry escaped her lips and she fell down into his arms, dragging him to the ground. She was crying hysterically into his purple shirt, her hands clutching onto him tightly. Startled for just a moment, the Sannin stroked her head to ease her fears. "That's right, you were scared. But it's all right now, my dear."

ஜ ~ ஜ

Orochimaru sat down on a wooden bench at the park he taken Anko to calm down. The young girl was in the public bathroom while he waited outside for her. He was in a daze as he gazed at the dark sky, the stars twinkling above him like perfect jewels.

"Lord Orochimaru…" Anko approached up to him, her tone was still shaky from what happened earlier. The Sannin rose from his seat, pivoting around to look at his student. The kunoichi's cheeks were flushed over her pale face, her optics not meeting his golden irises.

"Are you all right?" he asked her, brushing the back of his hand against her cheek in a tender caress. She flinched at the contact, and backed a few feet away from him.

"Y-Yes." Anko was still embarrassed from her earlier attempt to confess her feelings to her sensei. Everything was happening to her too fast, and she still didn't have the courage to look at her mentor. Bowing her head in thanks, she kept her eyes on the concrete ground. "Thank you for saving me."

"You made no move to defend yourself. I'm disappointed, Anko. I would've expected better from you." His words stung her like arrows to her heart, but they carried no hint of malice in them.

"I'm sorry." Anko apologized softly, her head still bowed to him. "I didn't want you to see that—see _me_ like that."

Orochimaru sighed, a cold breeze wafted through the air. "Do not concern yourself with it anymore. A true shinobi must never show fear."

"Yes, sir…" She raised her head, and immediately swiveled her back to him. She felt a piercing glare burning through her back, and she could almost feel his disapproving expression on his face.

"Anko."

"I'm going home…" she said firmly, though it sound like a sob. She took a step forward, but a hand grasped on her shoulder to stop her.

"Let's take a walk." Orochimaru suggested, and Anko merely nodded. It sounded more like an order rather than a request, but she didn't have the energy to argue with anyone right now. The Sannin guided her to the Hokage Monument and Anko's eyes gleamed with awe as soon as she saw the view of the village from a place so high up.

"Wow! The Leaf Village looks so beautiful from up here!" Anko exclaimed happily, all of her worries melted away in an instant.

Orochimaru chuckled softly at her. "I thought you might enjoy the view from here."

"I love it. Thank you, Sensei." Anko whispered quietly, her optics still averted away from him, shivering at the coldness of the night.

"Love, you say…?" The Sannin glanced down at his student, his amber eyes wandering up and down her slim body until they rested upon her face that now carried a pink color to her cheeks. "Anko, listen, I—"

She cut him off with an anxious tug of his sleeve, her cheeks redder than before. "Sensei, I just…"

Anko locked her irises with his, and saw a tender expression on his pale face. She was still unable to express her love for him in words, so hopefully she could express it another way.

Orochimaru stared down at his student with slight surprise, and exhaled a small sigh. He placed a hand on the side of her face, and she flinched at the contact. But this time, Anko didn't move back. Closing her eyelids, she stood up on her toes as he lowered his face to hers.

However, before anything could happen, the Snake Sannin pulled away. Anko opened her eyes with a confused look, seeing the unreadable expression on his face and his lips drawn into a firm line. At that moment, Orochimaru secretly gritted his teeth in frustration, clenching his fists tightly at his sides. He forced himself to stop before he done something incredibly idiotic and wrong with his student, but he wanted to do it with her just as much as she wanted to do it with him. He needed to prevent this relationship of theirs from becoming something more before they both do something they'll regret.

After a few moments of silence, he let out a coarse scoff and forced a cruel smirk to curve up in the corners of his mouth. "Hmph, you are easy."

This took Anko aback by surprised and confusion. "H-Huh?"

He looked at her directly, his tone filled with a confident, sickening tone. "And you call yourself a kunoichi? What a joke. I tested you to see how serious you were about becoming a shinobi, and to see how easy I can distract you from it. You didn't even put a fight. How pathetic, An—"

He was interrupted when Anko's hand collided with his face, slapping him with great force. Orochimaru didn't react, and just kept his face to the side to avoid seeing Anko's crying, pained expression.

"I HATE YOU!" she yelled out angrily, running back to her apartment without looking back at her sensei. Orochimaru watched her go with remorse, curling his fingers into fists once more.

"Forgive me, Anko… This is for the best." He regretted what he said to her immediately, but he couldn't allow himself to act on his own emotions. It was dangerous to accept her feelings, no matter how much he wanted to. Romance between teachers and students never work out, especially with such a large age gap.

It was utterly ridiculous. He always knew about Anko's romantic feelings him for quite some time, but he pretended not to notice, fearing what might of what happened between them if those feelings were to be acted upon. It would be a disgrace for the both of them.

Pivoting his heel, the Snake Sannin headed back to his apartment with a damaged heart. "I am truly sorry, Anko…"

ஜ ~ ஜ

_STUPID! STUPID! _Anko rebuked herself harshly; her head buried into the pillow, staining it with her salty, her eyes red and puffy from crying since last night. It was already mid-afternoon the next day, and Anko couldn't bring herself to go and face her sensei. She couldn't _ever_ face him again, not when last night's events replayed over and over again in her head painfully. _WHY? Why did it have to be him?_

"Anko?" There was a light knock on the door, but this time Kurenai didn't enter. She was there in Anko's apartment by the time the violet-haired girl returned home. When the dark-haired kunoichi saw the tears on her friend's face, she wanted to offer her solace, but was slapped away like some disease and out of the door. "Anko, please open the door. What happened last night?"

Anko's suffering ran deep inside her, unable to reply back to her friend. She cried out in anguish, clutching the sides of her pillow until she made small holes with her fingernails.

"Okay…" Kurenai sighed miserably, giving up to reason with the snake kunoichi. "If you need me, I'll be waiting…"

And with that, the dark-haired kunoichi reluctantly left her sorrow-stricken friend to her lonesome.

ஜ ~ ஜ

"What the heck happened to you?" Jiraiya gave his snake-like friend an incredulous look when he saw their busty, blond teammate healing Orochimaru's swollen face when he saw them together in the streets of the Leaf Village.

The Snake Sannin snorted in response. "Is that any of your business?"

"Hey, I want to know too." Tsunade chimed in, removing her palm away from her teammate's face. "There, I healed you, now spill it."

"I don't recall _asking _you to treat me." Orochimaru huffed at his friends, sauntering to the Hokage Tower. They quickly followed to find out the answer to their question.

"Well, you didn't expect me _not_ to treat you, did you?" the busty woman retorted as she arms crossed over her chest. "Your face was swollen. Did something happen last night? You didn't even put ice on it."

"_That_ is _absolutely_ none of _your_ business."

"We're just concern." Jiraiya replied good-naturedly, and then halted in his tracks for a brief moment—realizing someone was missing—before he continued to walk again. "Hey, where's your cute student?"

Orochimaru sent an angry glare towards the old hermit, tensing when Anko was mentioned. Frightened for his dear life, Jiraiya immediately hid behind Tsunade for a shield.

"Shut. Up."

Tsunade watched the pale-skinned man stomped away; eyeing the white-haired man that sighed in relief as soon the Snake Sannin was out of sight. Turning to her perverted friend, Tsunade gave him a puzzled look. "What was that about?"

"Sheesh, I don't know," the old hermit answered honestly, scratching the back of his head. "All I did was asked about his student."

"Anko Mitarashi, right?"

"Yeah, that's the one." Jiraiya nodded, folding his arms over his torso. "You think something happened between those two? He seemed angry."

Tsunade shrugged, and then the two Sannin made their way to the Hokage Tower. They shouldn't worry too much since they knew sooner or later Orochimaru would have the decency to fix whatever problem he caused with his pupil.

ஜ ~ ஜ

She didn't why she came here. Her body acted on its own when Anko finished decided that she couldn't hide from her sensei forever, and was now sitting down in his room. She sat on the bed, her fingers curled into fists in her lap.

Maybe it was a mistake to come here out of a whim, but Anko felt guilty how things ended last night with her outburst. She needed to set things straight, between her and Orochimaru, and her own feelings.

She regretted saying those painful words to her mentor, but she was so angry that they slipped out from her mouth. She didn't mean it; she could _never_ hate her sensei.

_That's right…I will always love Lord Orochimaru, no matter what happens._ Anko smiled sadly, her eyes drifting to the window.

It was almost nightfall… Where was he? A part of her wanted to run at once, before it was too late. She was afraid that mentor might be mad at her for slapping him across the face, even though he deserved it. She didn't even know what to say, and was unsure if she _should_ say anything at all.

The door to the room opened, and walked in the man she was waiting for. Orochimaru was surprised when he saw Anko sitting down on his bed, staring at him with a blank expression.

He slammed the door closed, averting his eyes to the side. He couldn't look at her right now. "Why are you here?"

"I don't know." she responded, facing downwards into her lap. Gathering her courage inside her, Anko stood up and bowed her head to her sensei. "I came here to apologize, Lord Orochimaru."

He stepped closer to her. "For what?"

"Hitting you. I'm sorry…" Tears formed in her eyes, but they didn't reach down to her cheeks. She wiped them away quickly, sitting down on the bed again. "I'm so sorry…"

"You don't have to apologize…" The weight of the bed changed as Orochimaru sat down next to her. "Anko, tell me, are you suffering?"

"A little…" she admitted softly, gazing at him from the corner of her eyes. "Sensei, why did you save me yesterday?"

"You're very special to me, Anko." he smirked slightly, the tense air around them wearing down a little. Despite that, he kept his optics on the wooden floor. "I will not allow others to have you, no matter what way it may be."

A deep blush rose to Anko's cheeks at those words, smiling shyly as she clambered up from the bed. The sound of clothes ruffling made Orochimaru shot his head to look at source of the noise, and his jaw dropped slightly at the sight of Anko's nude body.

Smoothing the tresses of her hair over her shoulders, Anko coyly looked at her sensei with red cheeks. The moonlight entering from the window was glistening on her smooth skin beautifully, giving her the image of a glowing angel. "Then please… Take away the right from someone else to have me."

Flushing, the Snake Sannin pivoted his face away from her. "That's impossible. How could I do that?"

Small droplets of water slid down Anko's cheeks as she shot him a weak smile. The pale-skinned man returned his attention back to her when he saw the tears on her face. She felt so stupid; of course he wouldn't do _it_ with her. He could never love her the way she wanted him to love her. The purple-haired girl sobbed quietly, clasping her arms over her exposed bosom. "You're right… It's impossible, because you could never love me in that way…"

"That's not true." Orochimaru retorted sternly, standing up from the bed.

"Y-Yes, it is…" Those words barely left her mouth when she felt warm and tender lips on hers. Anko's optics widened in shock, but she returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around her sensei's neck. The tears she cried were drying up just as she felt her body land on something soft. The bed.

Smiling to himself, Orochimaru loomed over her body, his irises running up and down her nude form. She was still too young to develop any features of a grown woman, but she was still beautiful than anyone else in the village. Anko blushed in embarrassment, biting down on her bottom lip. He chuckled softly, caressing her face with a self-indulgent expression on his face.

"No need to be ashamed, Anko." he assured her, using his other hand to unbutton his Leaf vest. He slid it down the floor and removed his shirt, revealing his white, creamy skin to her. "You wanted this, didn't you?"

Any chance of stopping herself vanished long ago. Her hands cupped both side of his face, her lips brushing against his for a ghost of a kiss. "Yes…"

The coldness of his fingers trailed the Anko's spine softly, kindly even, sending chills throughout her body. Orochimaru's silky, black hair fell over both of them, obscuring them in the shadows. There was the sound of a zipper in the darkness, and dark pants were thrown across the room somewhere. Anko trembled she felt her Orochimaru's hot breath against her neck, making her skin tingle.

"Are you sure?" He referred to her earlier answer; his tone low and seductive. "There's still time to stop, girl. There's no going back after this. Do you want me to stop?"

The Sannin pressed his body against hers firmly, his digits danced across her waist. His touch was like smoldering fire as Anko traced the muscles of his torso. The violet-haired kunoichi shook her head, her breath being caught in her throat as her heart hammered inside her chest.

"That's my good girl…" His smile was wicked, very pleased with her response. One of his hands rested on her upper back, the other around her waist to hold their bodies close together. He caught her lips in a slow, burning kiss just as he let one of his hand traveled to a certain place that made her tightened her grip on his shoulders. He drew back, leaving her aching for more. "You're too tense, Anko. It's all right, I promise I'll be very gentle."

His soothing words calmed her, his voice carrying a caring tone to it. She knew it was wrong, that this was a taboo love. However, she didn't care anymore; she didn't want to deny it any longer. _Screw age_. This is what both of them wanted, a chance to drown their unyielding passion for each other, and _nothing_ was going to stop them. They didn't _want_ to stop.

Anko shifted her hips against her sensei's body, receiving a soft hiss in response. Was he enjoying this? She smiled to herself, all her worries fading away. She just wanted to focus on one thing, and that was pleasing the man she loved. Even if this was completely new to her, she wanted him to remember this moment with her.

Orochimaru smirked, his exploring hand resting somewhere in her inner thigh. "Is this a good feeling, my dear?"

Anko nodded, angling her head to expose her throat to him. He didn't waste a minute to lick her skin, his hot tongue gliding up and down in sensual movements. A small noise escaped her lips, something between a whimper and a moan as the Sannin entered her gently.

The young girl entwined her digits into his ebony tresses, encouraging him to press further and faster inside of her. Anko cried out at the new, intense pleasure. It hurt a little at first, but he was patient and waited for her to adjust.

Orochimaru thrust his hips alongside her once more before withdrew, watching her shudder beneath him. He saw small tears coming out of her eyelids and he wiped them away. "I'm sorry, perhaps that was a bit much."

He stroked her hair tenderly and pulled her against him as he leant back on the bed, her head on his chest. Her figure was still trembling from the aftershocks, and she snuggled up closer to his body for warmth.

"I love you…" Anko finally confessed quietly, drifting into a deep, peaceful slumber. Orochimaru smiled, pleased that the girl in his arms was finally his. He kissed her shoulder, resting his jaw on her head as he dragged a light sheet over them.

"You're such a good girl, my dear Anko…" he whispered in her ear, tightening his arms around her more securely in a protective embrace. " I love you, too…"


End file.
